How and how to remove the smell of vomit - reliable ways to clean a sofa, mattress, carpet and car interior

Sometimes it seems that it is impossible to remove the smell of vomit - no matter how much you wash the contaminated areas, the stench does not go away. The fact is that vomit consists of food debris mixed with gastric juice, and sometimes bile - which means that putrefactive processes in them are much more active and faster than in other biological fluids. To get rid of an unpleasant odor, you need to not only thoroughly wash the stains, but also treat them with special products that will stop the activity of putrefactive bacteria.

How to remove vomit smell from car?

A person who vomits while driving a car can seriously stain the interior - vomit gets on the seat belts, upholstery, and floor mats. All these things are made from different materials, so they can be cleaned with improvised means to varying degrees.

The most reliable way to get rid of stains and unpleasant odors is professional dry cleaning and car washing. However, the cost of this procedure is often prohibitively high. In this case, you can do the cleaning yourself.

Regardless of which method is chosen subsequently, cleaning should begin immediately after the trouble occurs. If leftover vomit is not removed immediately, it will penetrate deep into the tissue, making cleaning more difficult.

To wipe up vomit, you can use paper napkins, toilet paper, or other material that absorbs liquid well. In this case, the movements should be wet, not rubbing. Then the stains should be covered with something absorbent - for example, soda powder, potato or corn starch.
As soon as the opportunity arises, you should begin cleaning. The faster it is done, the greater the chance that there will be no stains or stench left in the car.

Ammonia

Ammonia has a pungent odor that quickly dissipates. Neutralizes other odors. Preparation of cleaning solution: 1 tbsp. a spoonful of ammonia, 2 teaspoons of liquid soap, diluted in 0.5 liters of water. The area emitting an odor is rubbed with a sponge soaked in the solution.

The solution is sprayed with a spray bottle to remove odors from the air. Ventilate the room and do not stay in it for a while.

Store-bought cleaning products

It should be noted that any cleaning products remove particles of vomit from the surface, but do not always solve the problem of odor in the cabin. Fabrics can give off an unpleasant odor even after very thorough cleaning.

The products from the following list most often turn out to be effective and eliminate the unpleasant “smell” from the car along with stains:

Runway foam upholstery cleaner - easy to apply, suitable for all types of fabrics. It can also be used to wipe parts made of plastic and velor - moldings, dashboard.
ABRO foam interior cleaner can easily clean fabrics, carpets, as well as surfaces coated with nickel and chrome.
Liqui Moly Polster-Schaum-Reiniger upholstery cleaning foam - like the previous product, copes well with stains on fabric and velor upholstery and rugs.
Hi-Gear Leather Cleaner - designed for leather interiors.

We recommend: Is it possible to store vodka in the freezer? At what temperature does a drink freeze?

Homemade remedies

Since vomiting consists of food debris mixed with gastric juice, which has an acidic reaction, you need to try to neutralize it:

Dissolve ¼ cup of soda in a glass of warm water and wash the affected areas on the upholstery using a sponge.
When the solution becomes dirty, it is poured out and a new portion is prepared.

For complete cleansing, it may take 5 changes of solution or even more.

After cleaning the car, you need to open the windows and put it outside so that it is well ventilated. Naturally, you should not forget about safety and leave the vehicle unattended.

If the soda did not have the desired effect and ventilation also did not help much, it is worth covering the places where there was previously vomit with dry ground coffee or activated carbon (these options are only suitable for dark upholstery). You can also place a wide container of vinegar in your car overnight.

Enzymes (enzymes)

Stores sell products that are made on the basis of enzymes that can break down biological substances. They were developed to eliminate the smell of urine, but they also cope with the consequences of vomiting. They should be applied generously, and if not only the upholstery, but also the filling is damaged, then to enhance the effect, you should generously pour all the affected areas and let them dry. The smell will disappear completely after 2-3 treatments.

Cleaning residual stains

Complex stains from vomiting should be washed off with products that can be found in the kitchen of almost every housewife. Home remedies will not damage furniture upholstery.

How to clean upholstery materials, what you can try:

vinegar;
soda (2 teaspoons diluted in 1 glass of water);
ethanol;
lemon juice;
salt solution (dilute 5 teaspoons in 0.5 liters of water).

In rare cases, use a stain remover. Harsh chemicals can damage fabric.

How to remove the stench from the sofa if vomit gets on the upholstery?

As in the case of a car, it is important not to get confused and immediately blot everything that gets on the sofa with paper towels or napkins. If you don’t have anything like this at hand, cat litter will also work - the granules will almost instantly absorb all the liquid, after which they will need to be swept away with a broom.

If the sofa is covered with covers, they are then removed and sent to the wash.
Regular upholstery will have to be washed with soapy water (if this is permissible for a particular type of material). As a detergent, you can use washing gel or clear shampoo - the product is dissolved in a small amount of lukewarm water, whipped into a lush foam and applied to the fabric with a sponge. The water should be warm, up to +30 ºC, since at higher temperatures the protein contained in the vomit coagulates, which means it will be much more difficult to get rid of stains and odors.

When there are no visible traces of vomit on the sofa, the wet areas after washing are covered with soda or starch and left until completely dry, and then vacuumed.

We recommend: Washing eco-leather from stains and yellowness

If the stench does not disappear, you should buy enzyme products. You can also try to remove the smell from the sofa using essential oils - mix baking soda with a few drops of oil and pour it onto the damaged part of the sofa, and after a few hours vacuum it up.

Household chemicals

You can eliminate unpleasant traces of stomach dysfunction with the help of effective household cleaning products, the action of which is aimed at eliminating both problems.

Certain types of odor neutralizing agents should not be used :

in enclosed spaces,
places where people or animals are constantly present.

Information about the rules of use is on the packaging.

LOC

This product is a universal cleaner made in the USA . It is advisable to use it as early as possible, while the marks on the surface of the fabric are still fresh. But even with old stains it is quite effective.

The highly active components of LOC are natural based, and the product itself is safe for the environment and people.

Application procedure:

Prepare an aqueous solution in a large container, diluting 30 ml of the product in 4 liters of water.
Pour the solution into a spray bottle as follows: add 50 ml of the prepared solution to 450 ml of clean water.
Spray the product onto the stain.
Blot with napkins.

LOC is permitted for use in areas intended for children. The cost of a liter bottle is about 550 rubles .

Odorgone Med

Odorgone Med is a highly concentrated product for neutralizing odors of organic and inorganic origin. It contains 37 natural ingredients. Absorption occurs at the molecular level.

If the surface is heavily soiled, it must first be washed with soapy water and dried. After this, the spray is sprayed onto the stain, thoroughly moisturizing the fabric.

To enhance the effect, you can cover the affected area of the upholstery with film for several hours.

If vomit gets into the deep layers of the filling, you can inject the filling with a syringe with undiluted Odorgone Med. No additional rinsing is required.

Odorgone Med is safe for allergy sufferers . A half-liter bottle costs about 1,000 rubles.

Liquid stain remover Vanish

Liquid stain remover can be used even on delicate fabrics. At the same time, the colors of both variegated and plain materials are preserved.

In addition to removing traces of vomit from the sofa, Vanish can be used to remove stains of various origins from clothing.

The product is used as follows:

Apply undiluted to the stain.
Rubbing with a sponge.
Leave for a quarter of an hour.
Wash off with water.

The consumption of Vanish is determined by the size of the spot. A 450 ml bottle costs about 200 rubles .

What can I do to remove the smell of vomit from my carpet?

The most difficult carpets to clean from vomit are long-pile carpets made from natural materials. It is better to dry clean them, otherwise there is a risk of irreversibly ruining an expensive item.

The easiest way to get rid of the smell on the carpet is by washing - either by machine (if the size of the carpet allows) or by hand. This method has only one drawback - it will be difficult to dry a wet carpet in winter. Therefore, this option is only suitable for the warm season. In other cases, you should resort to dry or foam cleaning.

Of all the products on the market, the best results in eliminating odor are shown by:

Vanish Gold manual carpet cleaner - by the way, it is suitable not only for carpets, but also for upholstered furniture with fabric upholstery.
Odor neutralizer for textiles, carpets and clothing Astonish - you need to make sure that it does not get on surfaces made of leather, suede and natural silk.
Carpet cleaner Dr. Beckmann - suitable for wool products.

If the contamination is not severe, the already mentioned soda will help in the fight against the smell of vomit. It should be poured onto a fresh stain and after a few hours, vacuum the carpet.

Available means in the form of solutions

To eliminate the smell of rot from furniture, carpets, car interiors, or clothes at home, several compounds are used.

A good neutralizer of unpleasant odors is a solution of acetic acid. To prepare the product, a ratio of 2 tablespoons of vinegar per liter of water is required. Then the steps are as follows:

in this composition you need to moisten a microfiber cloth;
treat areas stained with vomit with it;
The vinegar solution does not require additional rinsing with water, so it is enough to wait for it to dry completely.

Tip : as an alternative, use similar solutions of hydrogen peroxide or citric acid. To remove odors from carpet or other dark-colored surfaces, you can use a solution with manganese.

In the absence of acid, ordinary table vinegar is effective for removing the smell of vomit. The operating principle is as follows:

in a weak solution of this product you need to soak a piece of light-colored fabric; an old, clean sheet will do;
then squeeze out excess moisture;
apply the patch to the unpleasantly smelling area of the carpet or upholstered furniture;
everything should be left for at least half an hour, and the maximum time to use the product is an hour;
If after such cleaning the smell does not go away completely, the procedure can be repeated, since the composition is harmless to fibers.

Tip: as an alternative to table vinegar, you can also use glass cleaner, which is diluted with liquid in a 1:2 ratio.

To eliminate the smell of vomit, a solution of soda is recommended according to the following recipe:

The product is diluted in the following proportion: glass to 2.5 liters of water;
the prepared solution is placed in a spray bottle and applied to the surface by spraying;
wait for the liquid to dry.

Tip : a couple of hours after spraying the solution, the carpet or sofa needs to be vacuumed.

If you have ammonia on hand, you can also use it to eliminate the unpleasant odor. For this you should:

dilute the drug in a proportion of 2 tablespoons per liter of water;
for a pleasant aroma, add a little liquid soap to the mixture;
apply the composition to the carpet;
take the treated piece of furniture outside or ensure proper ventilation of the room;
wait until the liquid dries completely.

Ammonia is a rather aggressive substance. Before you start cleaning the surface in this way, it is worth testing the effect of the product on an inconspicuous area. This will avoid unpleasant surprises.

How to clean a vomit stain from a mattress?

If vomit gets on the mattress, it will be difficult to remove the smell. The fact is that the liquid penetrates inside very quickly, staining the filler. You need to act immediately - blot the bad-smelling slurry with toilet paper or paper towels, and then, without sparing, soak the stains with a product with enzymes that break down organic matter (for example, Ultizym Carpet Cleaner or Binatec).

In the absence of special means, you can resort to soda - pour it in a thick layer over the entire contaminated surface and leave it to absorb moisture, then vacuum the mattress. However, in most cases, such treatment is not enough - you will still have to purchase a special product.

So, in order to remove a vomit stain from a mattress, sofa, carpet or any element of the car interior, and at the same time remove the stench, you need to start cleaning immediately after the trouble has occurred. The best results are demonstrated by cleaning products with enzymes - they simply “eat up” all the organic matter, the decay of which is the cause of the bad smell.

What dry mixtures are used at home?

How can you remove the smell of vomit from carpet or other surfaces using various household products?

A tool that every housewife has in her kitchen is table salt. It allows you to get rid of the smell that has already ingrained into the upholstery of furniture or carpet. The same method is widely used when urgently solving the problem of how to remove the smell of vomit from clothes. To do this you need:

cover the contaminated part of the carpet or sofa with a layer of salt and wait 8-10 hours;
to avoid damaging the material, do not rub the product in;
after the expiration of the period, the salt is removed with a vacuum cleaner or a medium-hard brush;
if the procedure is performed inside a car, a special device powered by a cigarette lighter can be used.

Tip : if you use aromatic salt instead of table salt, you can not only eliminate the unpleasant odor, but also give the cleaned furniture a new, pleasant aroma.

A good result is achieved by combining salt with citric acid in a 1:2 ratio. To apply the composition, we apply the following algorithm:

the ingredients need to be mixed;
Spread in an even layer on the carpet;
clean the surface with a brush in the direction of the pile;
remove residues using a vacuum cleaner

Another way to remove the smell of vomit from a sofa at home is a mixture of potato starch and soda. The algorithm of actions is as follows:

the components of this product are usually taken in equal parts;
after this, the prepared powder is applied to the dirty area, left, and then also removed with a vacuum cleaner;
Since the ingredients of the product do not corrode the coating fabric, it can be used several times to achieve the desired result.

How can you remove the smell of vomit from a mattress? The recommended method is to use bagged black or green tea. To achieve the result, just spread the bags around the perimeter and leave them for several days.

Special odor neutralizing agents

In household chemical stores you can purchase special upholstery care products. Liquids can easily deal with light stains and also eliminate the unpleasant aroma from vomit.

Important! Before purchasing the product, carefully read the instructions on the packaging and strictly follow the proportion of the product when using.

Helpful tips for choosing:

To effectively remove odor, choose liquids that contain a higher alkali content - the composition of the product will tell you about this.
Stores that sell automotive chemicals sell special odor neutralizers for cars. These remedies will also help solve your problem with unpleasant odor in vomit.

Important! The products have a strong chemical composition and should be used with extreme caution when there are no children or animals in the room.

You can eliminate the strongly ingrained smell of vomit with drugs from the pet store. They are able to eliminate many odors from the animal’s vital activity, so they can also solve this kind of problem.

Important! The products have a strong and not very attractive aroma, but it dissipates as the source of contamination is eliminated.

What not to do

There are a number of methods that are not recommended for cleaning sofas and upholstered furniture from unpleasant odors.

Use hot water

If you rub the stain with hot water, it can only worsen the situation, and the acrid smell will be much more difficult to remove.

High temperature water promotes rapid coagulation of the protein - thus, dirt and bad aroma penetrate deep into the upholstery of the product.

Use chlorinated drugs

Regardless of the type of upholstery material, when choosing cleaning products, you must avoid those that contain chlorine, solvent and abrasive components.

Mask the smell

You should not try to eliminate the smell of vomit using perfume or air freshener. This will make the smell even worse, because mixing two persistent aromas leads to an even worse result.

Cleaning sofas with different coverings

The choice of how to quickly clean sofas is influenced by the type of upholstery. Products and methods suitable for fabric upholstery may damage leather or suede.

Leather sofa: difficult or simple?

To clean a leather sofa, it is best to use products specifically designed for this surface, such as Leather Ultra Clean. The selected preparation must be tried on a small hidden area so as not to damage the coloring. A high-quality special product cleans the skin without streaks, does not corrode the paint and does not dry out the surface.

You can use a soap solution or a product containing organic solvents (White spirit, acetone, etc.) only as a last resort and to remove minor contaminants. Liquid soap without dyes, fragrances and sodium lauryl sulfate, natural baby soap or laundry soap is suitable for the skin. To remove difficult stains, you can use a soft-bristled toothbrush or clothing brush.

A light leather sofa can be cleaned using other available products: onion halves, toothpaste, makeup remover milk. A solution of vinegar and ammonia works well.

Spilled liquid must be immediately wiped off with a hygroscopic material, carefully, without rubbing it into the pores.

A ballpoint pen can be removed from a leather sofa using tape. A piece of adhesive tape is glued to the contaminated area of the surface and carefully removed with ink. The remaining paste is removed with a soap solution or a product containing ethanol. After cleaning, the upholstery is treated with a swab soaked in glycerin to restore its protective properties.

Fabric upholstery: cleaning secrets

When choosing cleaning methods, it is important to consider the material from which the sofa cover is made. The tapestry may shrink when in contact with hot water, which leads to its deformation.

Therefore, it is cleaned dry, and only sometimes, if necessary, wet cleaning is carried out with a cold soapy solution or a foam-forming agent.

Velor is cleaned in 2 stages: first, it is treated with a medium-hard brush, and then wiped with a sponge using a 1% vinegar solution.

Microfiber is sensitive to chemical cleaning agents and mechanical damage. It can be washed with a soft sponge dipped in soapy water.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3PrmsyfkV0

Furniture upholstered in plush and velvet cannot be cleaned with a brush, and can only be vacuumed through a sheet. Wipe these fabrics with a damp cloth, and treat greasy stains with a swab soaked in gasoline.

The products are applied to small areas of the surface. To remove grease, the sofa cover is cleaned, if possible, with a soft-bristled brush, and then wiped with a damp cloth.

What to do if a vomit stain has dried on the floor and other hard surfaces?

The best way to remove vomit that has dried to the floor is to use a small spatula or similar tool. After this, the area of contamination is washed with detergents for cleaning. You can also use dishwashing liquid or cleaning powder. After cleaning, the area where the dried stain was located needs to be dried. Cleaning vomit stains from clothes, kitchen textiles and bed linen. First of all, the soiled item should be rinsed as soon as possible under running cold water, holding the item with the dirty side down. If the water running onto the cloth is hot, the protein in the vomit may coagulate under the heat, making the stain more difficult or impossible to remove.

General rules

The main rule is that the sooner the dirt is removed from upholstered furniture, the easier it will be to eliminate the unpleasant odor. As soon as someone vomits on the sofa, you should immediately clean up the secretion with a sponge or cloth soaked in soapy water.

Next, special neutralizing compounds are used, which can be purchased at a pet store or car service center. In addition, improvised means are also suitable.

You should first apply the composition to a small area of the sofa to check the reaction.

Important to remember

Cleaning the sofa from vomit and eliminating bad odors is not a difficult task. The main thing is to know in what order, what is better to clean.

Tips for effective, furniture-friendly cleaning:

Cleaning of stains is carried out from the edge to the center of the stain, without pressing, circular movements.
Before cleaning a large area of your sofa, test the product in an inconspicuous area. If it doesn't fit, then you won't ruin the furniture.
For pure synthetic upholstery, it is advisable to use non-concentrated alkaline solutions. Acidic ones are not allowed.
It is better to clean cotton and linen upholstery with acidic rather than alkaline compounds.
After applying any neutralizing agents, the area is washed with water.
A single application does not always bring results. Application must be repeated.

DIY homemade stain and odor removers are more eco-friendly than store-bought ones. This should be taken into account, especially if there are small children and animals in the house. Homemade methods cope with their task no worse than purchased products.

Recommendations for proper care of your sofa

Furniture must be constantly looked after. In order for the sofa to last a long time and look attractive, you should follow simple rules:

knock out the sofa monthly and wipe it with special solutions for upholstered furniture; if liquid is spilled, it is important to remove all traces as quickly as possible - blot the stain with a dry cloth or paper napkin, avoiding deep penetration to the wooden base or chipboard frame; do not allow pets on the sofa, do not allow them to sleep in the living room at night; when small children or pets appear in the house, it is necessary to cover the furniture with special covers that are easily machine washable; To prevent the appearance of fungus and other problems associated with high humidity, it is worth maintaining a dry environment in the room and getting rid of all sources of dampness.

Upholstered furniture in an apartment or house is often saturated with unpleasant odors, which causes a lot of trouble for the owners. The new sofa smells and you definitely need to do something about it. If you approach the problem wisely and first understand the reasons for this phenomenon, the sofa will acquire a pleasant aroma and will delight your household for a long time.